Laura J Raynor

A sister in law of Charles Taze Russell

From Highwood Cemetery, Pittsburgh

Laura Raynor, Maria Russell’s older sister, was a keen supporter of ZWT theology for a number of years, although you wouldn’t know it from her obituary in the Pittsburgh Press, 23 July 1917.

The obituary mentions her siblings, Lemuel Ackley (whose murder is covered in the article “Lemuel” earlier on this blog), Selena Barto (who featured indirectly in Lemuel’s demise), and of course Maria and Emma who married the Russells, son and father.

ZWT mentions a “Sister Raynor” sharing in colporteur work in 1887. Laura had been widowed some years before this in 1873. Her husband, Henry Raynor had been under 40 years old at the time, leaving her with three children, Howard M Raynor (c.1867-1946), Selina Raynor, who never married (c.1865-1948), and Maria Raynor (c.1873-after 1941). Maria Raynor married S Frank McKee and she is named as May Raynor McKee on his death certificate in 1941. The whole family and offshoots stayed in the general Pittsburgh area.

At the time she was mentioned as a colporteur in 1887, Laura’s children would have been of an age to be mainly independent; Selina would have been around 21, Howard around 20, and Maria (May) around 14. They were also all listed as living in the same home as Laura’s mother, Selina Ackley, back in the 1880 census.

Laura is mentioned several times in subsequent issues of ZWT. In the May 1, 1892 issue for example, there was a meeting at her home. In the 1894 troubles, she signed a document with her sister Maria and others supporting CTR. However, in the 1897 troubles between CTR and Maria, she supported Maria.